I approach licensed products very carefully, because I perceive them in the category of “someone wants to rip me off.” So I can’t justify why I undertook to review a new game from Rebel related to the wizarding world, probably known to everyone. It doesn’t matter if it was a quiet hope that the title would be good, or maybe a magical intuition – I definitely do not regret it, because the publication will definitely stay on my table for a long time.
It won’t break after one batch
Duel Master! consists of a board placed on one of the halves of the box, 8 wands (they are not identical, so you can play the game of choosing which suits you best), 9 tiles with house banners and 10 matching plastic stands, one Primus sign, 24 chips, 142 cards, and written rules of the game. I rate the quality of the elements quite high – the cards have reflective elements, the banners are made of thicker cardboard, so they not only look nice, but also stand stably. While the wands aren’t the pretty replicas you sometimes get in Potter fan stores, they look tolerable for gameplay purposes. The box intended for this title is also among the durable ones.
One, two, three … no Baba Yaga is not looking
As some of you have probably already guessed, the rules are not complicated, and the game marked as four to eight players is among the representatives of those ideal for a party evening with friends or family. Roughly describing the rules: each participant is assigned a house and a wand. Everyone also gets a spell assignment (we can choose from Slip of the Tongue – i.e. a belt – or Numbness – an attack). The turn is led by a person with the title of Primus. First, he tells the students to get ready, and then, after counting to 3, point the wand at the person we attack.
Not to be too simple, however, after another count of three, in addition to casting the spells listed on the cards, there is also an option to quickly change the direction of the wand from the targeted opponent to yourself and apply Protego spell. Spells are cast simultaneously, and then, depending on their results, the prizes are divided, among which there are points for the house we represent. There is a whole lot of fun, because you react on a regular basis and it often turns out that the chosen attack strategy does not work, and the most passive player scores the most points. It’s also a lot of fun to feel like stepping into the world of Harry, Ron and Hermione for a moment and actually casting spells on others.
But what if I don’t have friends?
Unfortunately , the Duel Master! it was thought out in such a way as to play only when we gather at least four participants (although I have the impression that it would also work with three). It is also not a title with which we will spend several hours in a row, because it can get boring due to its simplicity (despite all the love of the game’s players for the world of magic and wizards). These are, in my opinion, the only weak points of this game.
A wand in your eye!
This is a game for Potter fans and there’s no hiding it. There are actors’ faces printed on its elements, appropriate Polish translations are used, and the gameplay itself is based on the situation associated with the book (film). This does not mean, however, that this title was released only for a hermetic group of fans. The game will work in any larger group tolerating fantasy and looking for competition. I personally tested!
